


Lost and Found

by tieria



Series: Ferriswheelshipping Week [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: F/M, Post-Pokemon Black 2 & White 2, ferriswheelshipping week 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 13:43:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4437725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tieria/pseuds/tieria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Thoughts, dreams, reunions, and a wide open future.)<br/>Or, memories and fragments of new dreams, ideals, truths, and how N and Touko reunite three years after it all.<br/>Prompt: Truth and Ideals</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost and Found

_“They are_ searching _for each other.”_

After N left, Touko flew home on Reshiram’s back as she thought.

She would head through Victory Road and defeat the Pokémon League once more- after all, more paths were open for a Champion than an ordinary trainer.

And then she would search.

She would scour every corner of Unova once and then over again, and if she couldn’t find him there, then Reshiram’s wings would just have to carry her farther. Over the sea to Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and beyond- She could do that much, at least.

It could take years- she was prepared for it to take years. Anything else would have been too easy.

And years it did take.

Bianca called often, detailing her latest exploits as Professor Juniper’s intern turned assistant, and Touko showed her all the sights of the world she could on the x-transceiver’s screen, chatting about everything and nothing at all at once.

Cheren called less frequently, but Touko kept up with Unova news, even half a world away, and she saw his successes just as clearly as when they had been at each other’s sides. He became Unova’s newest Champion about a year after Touko left, and Touko could see that he hadn’t forgotten the lessons they learned in their long journey.

It warmed Touko’s heart.

When Bianca told her of Cheren’s challenge, she stayed up all night huddled around a Pokémon Center’s spare computer, Serperior at her side as they watched Cheren earn a hard-earned victory from somewhere called Vermillion City.

(She called him immediately afterwards, only getting through to him a few hours later.

 _“You’d make a good teacher, you know,”_ she told him, and Cheren’s eyes widened in surprise behind his glasses before settling into a thoughtful expression.

“ _Actually, I was thinking about something like that…”_ he replied.

Touko thought about that conversation for a long, long time after it ended.)

When he called her a few months later with the news that he planned on taking over Lenora’s position as Unova’s normal-type gym leader, Touko congratulated him and dashed over to the nearest town- a place called Cherrygrove City- and promptly traded him a Sentret.

And then a Miltank, and a Tauros, and a Ditto-

In the coming years, he would receive a Zigzagoon, a Kecleon, several Ratatta that travelled only in a pack, a Bidoof, an Ursaring, three Porygon, an overly-affectionate Skitty, a Munchlax, and a whole horde of Eevee before Cheren was finally forced to explain that he simply had no more Pokémon to trade.

(And if a Glameow or a Bunnelby or an overpowered Ambipom that seemed to perk up at the mention of the name “Touko” just happened to show up around his gym after one of Bianca’s visits, well, Cheren said nothing of it.)

Touko, meanwhile, challenged gyms and leagues the world over, chasing the faintest whisper of a jet black dragon with a green-haired man who could hear the hearts of Pokémon on its back-

But whispers were few and far between, and the world a very wide place.

Which is why, when Bianca called nearly two years after Touko left Unova with the news that Team Plasma was active again, Touko found herself in Twinleaf Town, half a world away. So she flew, treating towns like stepping stones as she made her way back to Unova, scanning headlines and photos for any sight of N, secretly relieved when she found none. Even as a new heroine rose to take her place as “the girl who defeated Team Plasma,” N appeared not once in the public eye.

And when she finally, finally returned to Unova, Reshiram was restless.

“Zekrom?” Touko asked, once.

Reshiram nodded and huffed, casting its sights to the sky.

Touko never asked again, only followed Reshiram’s lead as they criss-crossed Unova seemingly at random. And then came the day when Touko spotted a black shape ahead, too large for a bird Pokémon, shaped wrong for a plane-

“Reshiram,” Touko breathed, and Reshiram understood, firing a great dragon pulse far wide of Zekrom ahead.

On cue, Zekrom began to descend to the route below. Reshiram followed. But as they drew closer, Touko’s spirits began to fall. Two long pigtails, a distinctly feminine frame- and as they dismounted their respective dragons, Touko drew close enough to recognize her face.

Mei. The second girl to defeat Team Plasma, and the region’s newest Champion.

“So, not N,” Touko mumbled to Reshiram, apparently just loud enough for Mei to hear.

“Sorry,” Mei said, glancing down with an embarrassed smile, “But I guess you’re Touko?”

Touko nodded, and Mei clapped her hands together in excitement.

“Oh, um, I’m a big fan! I watched your battle with Alder live, and, oh, wow, your Serperior was so cool with that total clutch victory at the end.”

Mei stopped abruptly, caught her composure with a blush and a nervous shake of her head. “Uh, sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure Serperior feels great that he’s got a fan,” Touko said, fingers ghosting lightly over Serperior’s pokéball.

Spotting the motion, Mei’s lips curled into a wide grin. Catching Touko’s gaze, Mei asked, “Up for a quick battle?”

Touko grinned. “Always. Two on two?”

“Like a double battle?”

“Sure, why not?”

“Sounds good! But uh,” Mei said, taking a quick glance at the ranch just a few dragon-lengths away, “Maybe we should leave these two out.”

Reshiram and Zekrom made simultaneous displeased noises, and the two girls exchanged a glance before breaking out in a fit of giggles.

“Sorry, Reshiram,” Touko said, patting its leg gently, “You’ll get a turn soon, I promise.”

Touko pondered her team options quicktly- most of her team was made up of Pokémon that had carried her through her original journey, but a select few were foreign, friends she had met and symbols of the memories she had made since.

“In that case… Serperior! Dedenne!”

Mei drew a pokéball from her bag with obvious delight. “Go! Samurott! Arcanine!”

The flash of nostalgia was as if she had fallen from the top of Dragonspiral Tower, the air drawn from her lungs as her stomach suddenly felt weightless, falling, falling into a warm haze-

For an instant it was no longer Mei and Samurott but Bianca and Oshawott facing her in her old room, something she hadn’t seen in years.

Touko shook the memory away. “Ready?”

Mei grinned and Touko reciprocated, her excitement contagious. “Let’s do this!”

:::

It was a difficult battle, and Mei and her Pokémon proved they had earned their titles just as competently as Touko and hers had three years ago. In the end, Touko and her team just managed to edge out Mei, who quickly ran across the field to revive her fainted Pokémon.

“Good job, you two,” said Touko, reaching down to pet her Pokémon.

Mei came up to shake Touko’s hand after withdrawing her Pokémon.

“That was a great battle,” Touko said, still gently rubbing circles into Serperior’s side.

Mei grinned. “Yeah, our Pokémon were pretty awesome, huh?”

“It was kind of nostalgic,” Touko murmured, not entirely aware she had spoken aloud. If Mei heard, she gave no indication, only reaching a hand out to Serperior in curiosity.

Touko’s gaze wandered over to Zekrom and Reshiram, the pair looking like old, solemn friends finally reunited.

‘ _Let me borrow your strength a little longer, Reshiram,_ ’ Touko thought, and Reshiram inclined its head towards her, acknowledging her request. _‘There’s just one more selfish truth I need to find.’_

“You’re looking for the man with the Zoroark, right? Zekrom’s last trainer?” Mei spoke up suddenly, her gaze now locked on the two legendary Pokémon as well.   

“Yeah. I’m guessing you met him?”

Mei sighed softly. “Yeah, in the Plasma Castle in Victory Road. I told him, before we battled… Well, he asked what I was trying to achieve by becoming Champion and what I wanted to do afterwards.”

She paused, giggled slightly to herself. “I told him that I wanted to battle on the world stage with my Pokémon. Become a spokesperson for the World Tournament and help new trainers get their start, you know? Help open the competitive world to anyone. I kinda can’t believe Zekrom agreed to follow me after I said something like that.”

“No, it sounds like it’s something you’re passionate about. Something you dream about more than anything else, right? That’s exactly the kind of thing Zekrom would want to help out with,” Touko replied.

Looking back at Zekrom, Mei said, “Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

They lapsed into comfortable silence for a few moments before Touko spoke again. “Do you think he’s still there?”

Mei shrugged, shooting her an apologetic glance. “I don’t really know if he’s there anymore, sorry. I know I can find him there sometimes, but… I do know a place where you can ask for leads.”

Touko turned to meet Mei’s eyes, all determined strength and nostalgic warmth. “Please, tell me where that is.”

:::

Touko felt guilty for not telling Bianca and Cheren (and her mother, for goodness sakes) that she was back in Unova, but when she thought about it, it was a call she’d rather make with someone else- so she kept silent, lying low and chasing leads one by one as she crossed Unova, just as she had done three years previous.

When she arrived at the Team Plasma base, she could see the fear and lingering defiance among the residents’ faces. Some instinctively readied for a fight. Others tried to communicate their peaceful intentions as clearly as humanly possible, often throwing their hands up and backing up a few steps, like in a bad movie.

Touko let out a quick chuckle. “I’m not here to fight. I’m just looking for someone I thought you might know.”

:::

In the end, the people gathered in that house were not so different from Touko herself- those who heard Ghestis’ words and questioned, those who saw N’s pure heart and chose to believe in his truth.

‘ _The only difference between us,’_ Touko thought, halfway through a conversation with a young man named Jimmy, “ _Is that I knew I had to make sure those ideals were as pure as they sounded.’_

Jimmy broke into her thoughts. “If you’re looking for N, he’s gone on a journey.”

“Abroad?” Touko asked with sudden alarm. She had a network of friends and acquaintances spanning regions across the globe, but, as she had found, the world was a very wide place indeed.

To her relief, Jimmy shook his head. “He didn’t really say where, but he talked about seeing places in Unova that he’d never been to before. I’d try some of the East Unova towns, if I were you.”

“Thanks,” Touko said, holding out her hand. “Mind if I call this home base for a little while?”

Jimmy took it, shaking it firmly. “Come back any time.”

:::

For the most part, Touko roamed unrecognized on the streets of Unova- three champions had come to pass since her victory- Cheren, Iris, and Mei- and her absence after her victory had done wonders to keep her from the public spotlight.

But she was adept at hearing the whispers, and so she never lingered for too long in one place.

:::

In the end, she found him where Mei had first said he might be, in the ruins of his former castle. He was aimlessly wandering the halls, staring up at the dark corners of chipped, peeling paintings on the ceiling. She saw him in profile, but he didn’t see her as she quietly drew closer, circling around to the back. He had gotten taller, but she had gotten stronger, and there was only one thought in her mind as she took the last step closer to him before he’d inevitably notice her presence at his back-

_‘I’m going to punch him.’_

She swung, threw her body weight into the blow, before stopping short and tapping a startled N right on the back of his shoulder.

N turned around quickly to face her before stopping halfway, his face clicking immediately into a blank, startled recognition before softening to something caught halfway between surprise and relief when she tipped her head up to meet his gaze properly.

(She was sure her expression was similar, if the way N’s face slowly relaxed into relief was any indication.)

“Touko,” he said, a full sentence all on its own.

Lowering her hand to her side, Touko replied, “You know, if I had known that it would take three years to find you again, I wouldn’t have let you go off by yourself in the first place.”

“You know, I could say the same thing for you,” N began, but Touko cut him off.

“Well, whose fault is that?”

N gave an embarrassed smile, averting his eyes slightly- it was a new look on him, once Touko hadn’t seen before. She decided immediately that she liked it. “Sorry.”

With an exaggerated shrug, Touko replied, “Well, it could have been a lot worse. I mean, I’ve got about twenty-five gym badges and a whole lot of new friends, so…”

Pulling a Pokeball from her belt, Touko brought out her Dedenne. The little mouse scurried excitedly around N’s feet for a moment before N crouched down to say hello, scratching Dedenne’s cheeks gently. “She’s getting fonder of you, isn’t she?”

It wasn’t a question she was meant to answer, so Touko dodged it. “I met her in a trade I made in Kalos.”

It was redundant to say it out loud, perhaps, considering how Dedenne was a Kalos-native Pokemon, but Touko had to put it out there, had to see N’s reaction.

“Oh,” he said with sudden vigor, “I have an old friend who’s been travelling with me. Zoroark, remember Touko?”

Zoroark appeared in a flash of light, watching Touko carefully.

“Last time we met, we were enemies, huh?” Touko said, extending a hand.

After a quick, almost Lillipup-esque sniff of her hand, Zoroark placed a paw on top of hers, a silent mark of approval.

Touko broke into an easy grin, relieved. “Let’s work together from now on, okay?”

Zoroark nodded solemnly.

When Touko looked up at N, her smile was mirrored in his eyes.

“Hey,” she said, “Want to go meet some people?” 

:::

Everything was not resolved between them, of course. The long walk back down Victory Road was filled with multi-battles and awkward conversations- of their travels, of how Unova had changed in the past three years- conversations that scraped the surface of the feelings they wanted to convey, but far from the heart.

It happened after a multi battle against a veteran couple near the exit to Victory Road.

“You two have the same coordination as my husband and I,” the woman said, crossing the field towards them after withdrawing her Galvantula. “And at such a young age, too. How long have you two been battling together?”

N and Touko glanced at each other, unsure of how to answer. In the end, Touko blurted out ‘three years’ while N replied with ‘three days’. Touko laughed awkwardly as N turned to look at her, curiosity brimming in his eyes. “It’s, uh, complicated. We fought against each other three years ago, but we only started fighting together three days ago.”

The husband casted a sharp glance in their direction, looking them over once, then twice. If he put two and two together, then he gave no indication.

“Oh, well, I guess we should head out now, huh?” Touko said, changing the topic quickly, “Bye! Thanks for the battle!”

Dragging a bemused and bewildered N behind her, Touko and N crossed the cave’s threshold and stepped out into the sun again for the first time in days.

“Touko,” N began once, but Touko cut him off with a flustered noise and a “Wait until we’re off the main path, okay?”

Dragging him into a cluster of trees off the main path, Touko let out a long breath and dropped N’s hand, trying to work up the nerve to face him again. “Okay. Ask away, I guess.”

When N asked, the question flew out almost too quickly for Touko to catch. “Why did you say three years?”

Touko sighed. _‘I hoped you would say it too,_ ’ she didn’t say. What she did say, after a long moment of thought, was, “Okay, so. There’s still a ton of stuff I don’t know about you, right? But on our journey three years ago… I mean, aside from Bianca and Cheren, you’re the friend that I got to know the most about. And… I kind of liked you too, you know. So you don’t get to say something like that and then run off to who knows where afterwards. So. Yeah. Three years.”

Touko wasn’t sure if she was blushing and she honestly didn’t want to know.

N, for his part, was smiling rather sheepishly back at her. “This might not be the time or place, but... I still kind of like you, Touko. More than ‘kind of’.”

Touko sighed. She was sure she was blushing now, hearing those words again. “Yeah, it kind of isn’t. But that’s okay.”

She took his hand again, gentler this time. “We have some time to figure it all out, right? It’s been three years, what’s a little bit more?”

:::

“Mei had Zekrom,” Touko mentioned offhand as she brings out Reshiram to fly them out, back towards Nimbasa.

N laid his hand on Reshiram’s side, and Reshiram nodded approvingly at him. “Yes. I let Zekrom go, and Zekrom chose her.”

Touko bit her lip. “Does that… No, nevermind.”

Touko climbed gently onto Reshiram’s back, extending her hand to help pull N up. “Let’s go, there’s people waiting for us.”

:::

They stopped for the night on a no-name back route somewhere in the middle of Unova. It was a beautiful place, a clearing in the woods where the stars shone bright and the crackle of their campfire joined the chorus of soft Pokémon cries and rustling leaves overhead. Touko had spread out a blanket, and if she only happened to have one, accustomed to travelling alone, then, well, sharing wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened.

“You gave up Zekrom,” she said, rolling onto her side to watch N, who was looking up at the stars.

“Yes,” N replied, for once replying shortly.

“Why, though? Does that mean you gave up?” It’s not that she was angry, exactly. Mei had her own dreams to chase, her own ideals to bring into being- even the short conversation they had together was enough to prove that to Touko. But still…

“I haven’t given up. I told Mei that the path to change is like a chemical reaction, where different people’s thoughts and actions combine to form something new.” N paused, thought for a moment. “That’s what I’ve settled on for my ‘truth’. I don’t know what kind of ideal world I want to help create, not yet, but I want to create it honestly, with my own power.”

Touko thought for a long moment, watching the crackling fire as it cast N’s face into light and shadow in turn. Cheren had found what he was pursuing beyond strength- to teach, to put that power to use in helping new trainers strengthen their bonds with their Pokémon. Bianca had found her calling was off the usual path, becoming Professor Juniper’s permanent assistant. Even though she was two years younger than her, Mei was off chasing her dream. And N…

“I don’t know either,” Touko finally replied, “But… If you’re up for it, I wouldn’t mind figuring it out together?”

It came out more of a question than she had intended.

If N noticed, he didn’t seem to care. “I think I’d like that, Touko.”

:::

Perhaps the day would come when she would no longer need to lean on Reshiram’s strength, no longer needed the physical reminder of the fleeting dreams she was chasing.

(But she could also admit that she’d miss Reshiram when the day finally came. That was all right though, she supposed- what kind of trainer didn’t miss their Pokémon after letting them go? Touko dug her fingers gently into the soft white fur of Reshiram’s back, and Reshiram made a comforting huff.

Touko smiled, ran her fingers through its fur instead. That day would come, but for now, Reshiram was beside her, ready to carry her towards a long-awaited reunion. And beyond that, well- no one knew what the future held.)

:::

She spotted Bianca first, her trademark bright green hat and fluffy blonde hair making her instantly recognizable even from behind in the crowded Nimbasa Amusement Park.

“Bianca! Cheren!” Touko called, waving her hand high as her two old friends stopped and turned. As soon as Bianca recognized her, she raced over, wrapping Touko up in a tight hug. Cheren followed a few paces behind, and Bianca immediately pulled him into the hug. Despite his initial protests, Cheren smiled and relaxed as Bianca wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

N hung around awkwardly, a half step behind Touko, and she pulled him in. Bianca looked up, threw a hand over her mouth to stifle her instinctive gasp. “You _found_ him,” she stage whispered into Touko’s ear, and Touko laughed.

“Yeah. We’re finally back.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy ferriswheelshipping week!


End file.
